Paper Report for: Torrao_1997_Braz.J.Med.Biol.Res_30_1209
Reference
Title: Distribution of the alpha 2, alpha 3, and alpha 5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits in the chick brain Torrao AS, Lindstrom JM, Britto LR Ref: Brazilian Journal of Medical & Biological Research, 30:1209, 1997 : PubMed
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ionotropic receptors comprised of alpha and beta subunits. These receptors are widely distributed in the central nervous system, and previous studies have revealed specific patterns of localization for some nAChR subunits in the vertebrate brain. In the present study we used immunohistochemical methods and monoclonal antibodies to localize the alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 5 nAChR subunits in the chick mesencephalon and diencephalon. We observed a differential distribution of these three subunits in the chick brain, and showed that the somata and neuropil of many central structures contain the alpha 5 nAChR subunit. The alpha 2 and alpha 3 subunits, on the other hand, exhibited a more restricted distribution than alpha 5 and other subunits previously studies, namely alpha 7, alpha 8 and beta 2. The patterns of distribution of the different nAChR subunits suggest that neurons in many brain structures may contain several subtypes of nAChRs and that in a few regions one particular subtype may determine the cholinergic nicotinic responses.
        
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Torrao AS, Lindstrom JM, Britto LR (1997) Distribution of the alpha 2, alpha 3, and alpha 5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits in the chick brain Brazilian Journal of Medical & Biological Research30: 1209-13
Torrao AS, Lindstrom JM, Britto LR (1997) Brazilian Journal of Medical & Biological Research30: 1209-13